Lecture Quiz
Name________________________________________
Lab Section____________
1. Suppose you observe the sun to be 85 degrees above the horizon at noon at the summer solstice.
What would your latitude be at this location? (2)
85o – 23o = 62o (altitude at equinox)
62o + latitude = 90o
Latitude = 28o
2. What is the altitude of the sun at the winter solstice for Bangkok, Thailand? Summer Solstice? The
geographical coordinates for Bangkok is 13o N 140o E (2)
13o + altitude at equinox = 90o
altitude at equinox = 77o
Winter: 54o (South)
Summer: 80o North
3. The tilt of the earth's axis leads to the following: (2)
I. observers within 23 degrees of the north/south pole will see the sun for 24 continuous hours
near the winter solstice.
II. observers within 23 degrees of the equator will see the sun pass directly overhead at some
point during the year.
a. I and II are both false
b. I is false; II is true
c. I is true; II is false
d. I and II are both true
4. It is 5:00 pm in Providence on Monday. Determine the time and day for the following cities: (4)
a. Bangkok, Thailand – 13o N 140o E
Time: 7 am (14 T.Z.)
Day: Tuesday
b. Fairbanks, AK – 65o N 130o W
Time: 1 pm (4 T.Z.)
Day: Monday
5. The circumference of the Earth is 40,077 km and the circumference of the moon is 3480 km. Also, the
moon is a distance of 400,000 km from the earth. If a typical classroom globe is 97.0 cm in circumference,
what is the approximate circumference for a model moon? (2)
a) 8.4 cm
b) 8.4 m
c) 1.4 km
d) 1.1 km
6. At the vernal equinox (2)
a) day-time and night-time are each approximately 12 hours
b) the sun rises directly in the east and sets directly in the west
c) it is the beginning of autumn in the northern hemisphere
d) all of the above
e) a and b only
6. Using the illustration below to represent the earth, draw the positions of the earth (indicating the
direction of its axis) for each of the four seasons (northern hemisphere), label them, indicate where the earth
is at aphelion and perihelion, and where the speed of the earth is traveling fastest and slowest. For each
season, also indicate the latitude on the surface of the earth where the sun would appear directly overhead.
Season
Distance
Speed
Latitude
Summer
Aphelion
Slow
23o N
Fall
-----
-----
Equator
Spring
-----
-----
Equator
Winter
Perihelion
Fast
23o S
Sun
Use this diagram for the position of the earth.
7. Plot and label a graph representing the changes in daylight hours for two locations:
A. Label the graph A with a latitude located between the equator and the tropic of cancer.
Approximate number of hours of daylight hours at Autumnal Equinox: 12
Approximate number of daylight hours at Summer Solstice: 14
Approximate number of daylight
hours at Winter Solstice: 10
Daylight Hours
24
22
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
8. Label the graph B with a latitude
located above the arctic circle.
4
2
0
Approximate number of hours of
daylight at the Vernal Equinox: 12
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Approximate number of hours of daylight hours at Summer Solstice: 24
Approximate number of hours of daylight at Winter Solstice: 0
June
July
Aug
Sept
Oct
Nov
Dec